Self-loading carry-all



Nov. 13, 1962 1. J. WARDLE SELF-LOADING CARRY-ALL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 25, 1957 INVENTOR. IsaaccIWar'dle BY 2.4%

Nov. 13, 1962 l. J. WARDLE SELF-LOADING CARRY-ALL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 25, 1957 INVENTOR. Isaac cLWclrd 1e Nov. 13, 1962 l. J. WARDLE 3,063,173

SELF-LOADING CARRY-ALL I Filed NOV. 25, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV EN TOR. Isaac (J. Ward 1c Nov. 13, 1962 l. J. WARDLE SELFLOADING CARRY-ALL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 25, 1957 INVENTOR.

Isaac cLWaPdle By Hffy.

3,063,173 Patented Nov. 13., 1932 3,063,173 SELF-LOADING CARRY-ALL Isaac J. War-die, Pierce Park Lane, Rte. 3, Boise, Idaho Filed Nov. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 698,616 10 Claims. (Cl. 37-126) This invention relates to a carry-all which may be used for digging, loading, hauling, dumping and spreading dirt, sand, and gravel, as well as bulk agricultural products and like materials.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a carry-all which will load itself rapidly and with minimum power requirements; which will transport the loaded material rapidly; and which will unload itself efficiently at its destination. Other objects include the provision of such a vehicle which is highly maneuverable and in which the operator has a clear view at all times of the digging element of the vehicle so that stationary objects can be approached closely without damage to either the vehicle or the object.

I Still other objects of the invention include the provision of a sturdy, self-loading carry-all which can be used effectively on rough terrain, and which may be applied to the handling of a wide variety of materials.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished will be apparent from the accompanying specification and claims considered to gether with the drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of the herein described self-loading carry-all;

P16. 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view in front elevation thereof, partly broken away;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of the control turret, also partly broken away;

PEG. 5 is a plan view of the steering assembly;

FIG. 6 is a view in front elevation of the steering assembly;

-FIG.-7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the steering assembly similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating the positions of adjustment of the assembly.

The self-loading carry-all of the present invention is mounted on a Y-shaped frame. This includes the longitudinal box beams 10 interconnected by a transverse box beam 14 which mounts a receptacle 16 in which the load is received. It also includes a pair of parallel, longitudinal box beams 20 interconnected by yoke-shaped box beam 22 supporting the driving mechanism for the vehicle.

The frame is supported on front Wheels 24 and rear wheels 26. All four of these wheels are driven from motor through a drive including transmission 32 coupled through universal coupling 34 with front differential 36, and through universal couplings 37, 38 and splined shafts 39 with rear differential 40.

Front differential 36 drives axles 42 contained in housings 43 and journaled in bearings 44 on either side of the vehicle. Axles 42 are equipped with brakes '46 and carry sprockets 48. The latter engage drive chains 50, which also are engaged by sprockets 52 keyed to axles 54. These axles are rotatably supported in bearings mounted in box beams 10, and drive the forward drive wheels 24.

Rear differential is connected to axles 58 contained in housings 59 and coupled to wheels 26 through ball and socket joints 60.

It is a particular feature of the present invention that the Y-frame which supports the vehicle is in turn supported at three points only, one of the supports being pivotal. Hence the vehicle can carry a heavy load over rough terrain without twisting, straining or breaking the frame.

This result is accomplished by a novel mounting for the rear wheel assembly, illustrated particularly in FIGS. 5-9 inclusive.

Axle housings 59 mount a rearwardly extending frame 62 which underlies box beam 22 and supports the transverse leaf spring assembly 64. This assembly is connected to a short shaft 66 journaled in bearing 68 and supported by tabs 70.

Bearing 63 is mounted on the spring assembly while tabs 70 are mounted on the rearward end of a slide plate 72 which is in sliding engagement with a transverse frame member 74 spanning box beams 20. The forward end of slide plate 72 is pivotally connected through pin 76 to a second transverse frame member 78 which also spans box beams 20. The central pivotal mounting of axles 58 at one point only thus makes possible working of the frame as required to accommodate terrain uneveness, thereby eliminating twisting and straining of the frame. Inclusion of slide plate 72 in the mounting assembly also makes possible angular movement of the entire back wheel assembly, whereby it may be swung from one side to the other of the vehicle as required for turning sharp corners.

For normal steering, the rear wheels 26 may be moved to the positions indicated in FIG. 5 wherein the steering angle is of the order of plus or minus 30. This is accomplished by turning vertical steering shaft 80 which is connected through bevel gears 82 and universal coupling 84 to a substantially horizontal shaft 86. The latter shaft is connected through coupling 88 and gear box 89 to connecting rods 90. Rods 90, in turn, are connected to lever arms 92 which turn the wheels through ball and socket joints 6!), referred to hereinabove.

However, means are afiorded for turning at sharper angles i.e. at angles of plus or minus 45 to increase the maneuverability of the vehicle. This steering mechanism and the steering angles achieved thereby are illustrated also in FIGS. 59 inclusive.

BOX beam 22 mounts an arcuate rack and track member 160. The track segment of this member is engaged by a carriage 102 supported by a ball and socket joint 104 and support 106 extending forwardly from the central portion of yoke-shaped frame member 62. An hydraulic motor 108 is mounted on carriage 102. A gear 109 keyed to the shaft of the motor engages the rack segment of the member 100.

Accordingly, energization of motor 108 swings the entire rear axle assembly until the wheels are moved from the full line position of FIG. 5 to the full line position of FIG. 9. When so moved, the wheels still can be turned independently by steering shaft 80 to the dotted line position of FIG. 9, as well as to intermediate positions. It is particularly noteworthy that the indicated dotted line position will reverse the angle of turning of the vehicle even though the axle assembly has been shifted by motor 102 to its extreme steering position in the opposite direction. This introduces a valuable safety factor of importance when it is desired to avoid obstacles, or maneuver in clos quarters.

Box 16 of the herein described carry-all is loaded and emptied by means illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The leading end of the box is provided with a cutting bit 110. The rear end of the box is pivoted about pins 112. Raising and lowering of the forward end of the box is accomplished by means of cylinders 114 and hence the box may 0 be partly loaded by lowering it to the dotted line position of FIG. 1, advancing the vehicle in the manner of a bulldozer until a quantity of material has accumulated 3,oee,173

in the forward part of the box. The box then may be elevated by means of cylinders 114 to the full line position of FIG. 1, or further filled by means of the apron assembly with which it is provided.

The apron assembly includes an apron 120 which serves the dual functions of assisting in loading the box and acting as an end gate therefor. The apron is pivoted between cylinder arms 122, the inner ends of which are rigid to lever arms 124. The latter are pivotally mounted on the side walls of the box.

Angular movement of apron 120 about its points of attachment to cylinder arms 122 is achieved by means of cylinders 126 which are mounted on the arms and the piston rods of which are connected to the upper end of the pivotally mounted apron.

Angular movement of the cylinder arms is achieved by means of cylinders 128 pivotally connected to the box and the piston rods of which are pivoted to lever arms 124. Extension of arm 122 is obtained by actuating the cylinder of which it is comprised.

Thus a variety of elevating, sweeping and lowering movements may be imparted to the apron as indicated by the arrows of FIG. 1. These act to engage material, whether it be at high or low elevation, to move it in the direction of the box, and to sweep it up over any accumulation of material within the box into the rearward portion thereof, thus filling the box rapidly, efiiciently, and with a minimum of power expenditure.

After having been filled and transported to the selected location, the box is emptied by means of a ram 130 mounted on wheels 132 and normally stationed at the rearward end of the box. This ram is actuated by a pair of cylinders 134- and accordingly may be reciprocated between retracted positions, permitting filling the box, and advanced positions wherein it empties the box.

It is of paramount importance in vehicles of the class described herein that the operator be afforded a clear view of the forward end of the vehicle and of the material on which it operates. Also, it is necessary that the operator be able to shift his position from time to time to see various areas more clearly. For these purposes there is provided a revolving turret which mounts the operators seat and controls. The construction of this turret is clearly apparent from FIGS. 1 and 4.

The turret is mounted on a vertically extending post 140 supported in off-set position on the frame of the vehicle. The turret assembly includes a flanged plate 142, a vertical housing 144, a lower bearing 146 and an upper bearing member 148 for rotatably mounting it on post 140. Steering shaft 80 penetrates the latter post; a seat 150 is mounted on plate 142; and a control panel 152 is likewise mounted on the plate. The electric lines from the control panel are contained in a flexible conduit 154 which passes through post 140 and to the respective mechanisms controlling the drive, the steering apparatus, apron 120, and ram 130.

The turret is rotated by means of a motor 156 fixed to plate 142. The shaft of the motor is provided with a worm gear which engages a gear 158 fixed to post 140. Accordingly, operation of motor 156 drives the turret about the post, bringing the operator seated in seat 150 to any desired position, as indicated by the arrows of FIG. 2. Thus he may sit on the right hand side of the vehicle where cutting bit 110 and the work on which it is operating are clearly visible to him. On the other hand, he may rotate the seat through 180 so that he is facing in a rearward direction, as when he wishes to drive the vehicle backwards. Also, he may adjust the turret so that it faces in any intermediate position, as circumstances may dictate.

Operation The operation of the herein described self loading carryall is as follows:

The operator normally approaches his work facing forwardly in the direction of box 16 with seat 150 stationed on the right side of the vehicle. When he has reached location, he lowers the box by means of cylinder 114 and elevates apron by means of cylinder 128.

Then if he so desires, he may use the vehicle in the manner of a bulldozer, ramming it against the material to be loaded in order to force it into the forward part of the box. Then by operating cylinders 122, 126 and 128, he may impart to apron 129 a forwardly reaching clawing action which moves the dirt into the box, over the load already accumulated therein and into the rearward portion thereof. .This fills the box Without the necessity of doing extra work in moving part of the loaded material in order to accommodate a further quantity of material.

When the box has been filled, cylinders 114 lift it to the full line position of FIG. 1, whereupon the vehicle is operated as a carry-all to transport the load to the place where it is to be dumped. There it is evacuated by operation of ram actuated by cylinders 134.

During all of these operations, the operator is able to shift the position of seat 15 by energizing motor 156 so that the operating site and all obstructions are clearly visible to him. Also, by operation of motor 102 he is able when necessary to shift rear wheels 26 to the extreme angled position of FIG. 9 as required to avoid obstructions. However, even when the Wheels are in this extreme position he is able to steer in the opposite direction by the ordinary manipulation of steering post 80.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A self-loading carry-all comprising a Y-shaped main frame, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted one on each of the legs of the main frame, a sub-frame, axle means on the sub-frame, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the axle means and steerable relative thereto, vertical axis pivot means connecting the sub-frame at a central point thereof to the main frame, motor means connected to the sub-frame for securing angular movement on its pivot means and thereby increasing the steering angle, the wheels on the axle means being steerable independently of angular movement of the sub-frame, a carry-all box mounted on the Y-shaped frame, a clawing apron mounted on the box forwardly and transversely thereof, motor means connected to the apron for securing its movement angularly upwardly, outwardly, inwardly, and downwardly for sweeping material into the box, a steering turret mounted on the Y-shaped frame off-set from the longitudinal axis thereof adjacent the box, means for rotatably mounting the turret in a horizontal plane, and motor means connected to the turret for rotating it as required to station the operator thereon in a pre-selected position.

2. A carry-all structure comprising a frame, a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted at one end of the frame, an axle assembly disposed at the opposite end of the frame and having a horizontal axle, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle and having steering movement relative thereto, a horizontal bearing plate, vertical axis pivot means pivotally connecting the bearing plate to the frame, the bearing plate being disposed between the axle and the frame for providing horizontal pivotal support for the axle assembly relative to the frame, means connecting the axle assembly and the bearing plate, a track member on the carry-all frame, said connecting means including a steering frame integrally connected to the axle assembly, means connecting movably the steering frame to the track member, and drive means on one of said track member and steering frame for imparting movement to the steering frame relative to the track member for turning the axle assembly.

3. The carry-all structure of claim 2 wherein the drive means for imparting movement to the steering frame relative to the track member comprises motor means carried on the steering frame.

4. A carry-all structure comprising a frame, a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted at one end of the frame, an axle assembly disposed at the opposite end of the frame, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle assembly and having steering movement relative thereto, a bearing plate pivotally connected on a vertical axis to the frame and being disposed between the axle assembly and the frame for providing horizontal pivotal steering support for the axle assembly relative to the frame, an arcuate transversely disposed track member on the carry-all frame spaced from the axle assembly, the arcuate track member being concentric with the turning arc of the bearing plate, a steering frame integrally connected to the axle assembly and having a movable connection with the track member, and drive means on one of said track member and steering frame for imparting movement to the steering frame relative to the track member for turning the axle assembly.

5. A carry-all comprising a frame, a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted at one end of the frame, an axle assembly disposed at the opposite end of the frame, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle assembly and having steering movement relative thereto, a bearing plate pivotally connected on a vertical axis to the frame for horizontal pivotal movement, a track member on the carry-all frame, a steering frame integrally connected at one end to the axle assembly, means connecting movably the opposite end of the steering frame to the track member, drive means on one of said track member and steering frame for imparting movement to the steering frame relative to the track member for turning the axle assembly, resilient support means mounted on the steering frame intermedite its ends, and a horizontal-axis pivotal connection between the support means and the bearing plate, the pivotal connection between the support means and the bearing plate being disposed longitudinally of the frame to permit vertical tilting of the axle means relative to the frame.

6. A carry-all structure comprising a frame, a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted at one end of the frame, an axle assembly disposed at the opposite end of the frame, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle assembly and having steering movement relative thereto, a horizontal bearing plate pivotally connected on a vertical axis to the frame and being disposed between the axle assembly and the frame for providing horizontal pivotal steering support for the axle assembly relative to the frame, a track member on the carry-all frame, a steering frame integrally connected to the axle assembly, rack and gear means connecting movably the steering frame to the track member, and motor on one of said track member and steering frame for imparting movement to the steering frame relative to the track member for turning the axle assembly.

7. A carry-all structure comprising a frame, a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted at one end of the frame, an axle assembly disposed at the opposite end of the frame, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle assembly and having steering movement relative thereto, a bearing plate pivotally connected on a vertical axis to the frame and being disposed between the axle assembly and the frame for providing horizontal pivotal steering support for the axle assembly relative to the frame, a track member on the carry-a1l frame, a V-shaped steering frame having its outer ends connected to the axle assembly adjacent opposite ends of the latter, extension means on the steering frame establishing movable connection with the track member and motor means on the extension means for imparting movement to the steering frame relative to the track member for turning the axle assembly.

8. A carry-al1 comprising a frame, a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted at one end of the frame, an axle assembly disposed at the opposite end of the frame, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle assembly, a bearing plate pivotally connected on a vertical axis to the frame for horizontal pivotal movement, a track member on the carry-all frame, a steering frame integrally connected at one end to the axle assembly, means connecting movably the opposite end of the steering frame to the track member, drive means on one of said track member and steering frame for imparting movement to the steering frame relative to the track member for turning the axle assembly, support means mounted on the steering frame intermediate its ends, and a horizontal-axis pivotal connection between the support means and the bearing plate, the pivotal connection between the support means and the bearing plate being disposed longitudinally of the frame to permit vertical tilting of the axle means relative to the frame.

9. A self-loading carry-all comprising a Y-shaped main frame, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted one on each of the legs of the main frame, a sub-frame, axle means on the sub-frame, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the axle means and steerable relative thereto, vertical axis pivot means connecting the sub-frame at a central point thereof to the main frame, motor means connected to the sub-frame for securing angular movement on its pivot means and thereby increasing the steering angle, the wheels on the axle means being steerable independently of angular movement of the sub-frame, a carry-all box mounted on the Y-shaped frame, a clawing apron mounted on the box forwardly and transversely thereof, and motor means connected to the apron for securing its movement angularly upwardly, outwardly, inwardly, and downwardly for sweeping the material into the box.

10. A carry-all comprising a frame, a longitudinally extending carry-all box supported on the forward end of the frame for receiving material to be carried, upright lever means pivotally connected to the box, a forwardly extending support secured to the lever means, powered extension means slidably mounted on the support, an apron member pivotally supported on the extension means, power drive means supported on the extension means and connected to the apron member for pivoting the latter relative to the powered extension means, the powered ex tension means being capable of moving the apron means longitudinally relative to the box, and drive means connected between the box and the lever means whereby to pivot the lever means for vertically adjusting the apron membetz.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 656,339 Collins Aug. 21, 1900 1,341,181 Kinney May 25, 1920 1,564,090 Meilrlejohn Dec. 1, 925 1,692,531 Krehbiel Oct. 12, 1926 1,733,544 Langdon Oct. 29, 929 1,526,113 Winsor Oct. 6, 1931 1,903,675 Hauge Apr. 11, 1933 2,099,981 Joy Nov. 23, 1937 2,301,152 Strehlow Nov. 3, 1942 2,384,890 Coldwell Sept. 18, 19 5 2, 96,237 Robb Mar. 12, 1946 2,422,3 3 Walch June 24, 1947 2,494,324 Wright Ian. 10, 1950 2,679,119 Robb May 25, 1954 2,795,872 Wardle June 18, 1957 2,828,878 Le Tourneau Apr. 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,672 Belgium Dec. 14, 1957 

